EU Commissioner for Agriculture Affirms Support for Pig and Poultry Farmers at IFA AGM

The European Commissioner for Agriculture addressed key issues raised by IFA Poultry chair Nigel Sweetnam and Michael Caffrey, newly-elected Pig Committee chair, at the IFA AGM last week.

Nigel Sweetnam pointed out the risks posed by importing 1.2 billion chicken breast fillets while the EU simultaneously imposes regulations that drive up production costs for European farmers.

“The cost of production increases imposed by the EU Commission are unsustainable. If the EU expects us to adhere to these regulations, they must support us in return and not proceed with the Mercosur deal which would destabilise the market,” he said.

The Commissioner emphasised that he is not going to decide on the trade deal however, it is his commitment to “enhance the competitiveness of our own farming community, to reduce the administrative burden on EU farmers, and for them to live from their production – we need to build in the right safeguards and do that built in with reciprocity”.

IFA Pig chair Michael Caffrey raised the issue of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), which would bring small pig farms with approximately 100 integrated sows under the same licensing requirements as large facilities. It will also implicate smaller layer farms than are under its remit.

“Farms are not industrial operations and should not be categorised under the same regulatory framework as chemical industries. Pig and poultry farms already fall unduly under the IED and it should not apply to them.”

The Commissioner responded by stating that “you can’t compare a chemical industry with a farm”. 

The proposed revision of the Animal Welfare in Transport Regulation which affects all livestock animals was another contentious issue raised by Michael Caffrey.

Farmers and the wider sector expressed serious concerns about the practical implications of increasing space requirements per pig by 46%; require veterinary supervision during loading and unloading of all trucks for all species irrespective of travel time etc; and human health and welfare concerns for the animals and drivers.

“This proposal is not only impractical but poses health and safety risks for our pigs and drivers. It would require an additional 480,000 trucks to transport fattener pigs in the EU to factories, raising serious questions about sustainability, carbon footprints, and the EU’s own carbon reduction targets,” said Caffrey.

The Commissioner assured attendees that these points would be raised at the EU level with the relevant colleagues.

IFA emphasised that while farmers remain committed to meeting the highest standards, they need meaningful support to manage rising costs and operational challenges.

“Farmers cannot shoulder the financial and logistical burdens of new regulations alone. Nor can we shoulder the burden of the Mercosur trade deal. If the EU wants to champion sustainable agriculture, it must ensure its policies are practical and achievable for those on the ground and are not undermined by cheap imports,” said Nigel Sweetnam.